Sabbath-Rest

"Therefore since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did but the message they heard was of no value to them because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest just as God has said, 'So I declared an oath in my anger, they shall never enter my rest.' And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words, 'And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.' And again in the passage above he says, 'They shall never enter my rest.' It still remains that some that will enter that rest and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them but did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day calling it TODAY when a long time later he spoke through David as was said before, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.' For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains then a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work just as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." Hebrews 1: 1-11 NIV

What a passage of scripture! When I was in high school I remember reading a book by Gordon McDonald, "Ordering Your Private World". He also wrote, "Restoring Your Spiritual Passion". In his books he emphasizes the NEED for Sabbath-Rest.

I know it is important that we gather with other Christians to worship on our "given Sabbath" day. We sing praises to God, hear the word of God, and fellowship with other believers. That is VERY important. For many of us that "given Sabbath" day is NOT a day of rest. There are many reasons that it is not a day of resting in Jesus.

Sabbath-rest is also a deliberate acceptance of personal rest and tranquility within the individual life. Sabbath means a rest that brings peace to the private world. We often take days of leisure but the choices we make on such days are not to focus on resting in Jesus. Our leisure is usually made up of some sort of activity....which we also need. Family time or time with friends is also important. We do not rest because our work is done, we rest because God commanded it and created us to have need for it.

We need to truly develop a Sabbath-rest time. A time to rest and refresh in Jesus. There are many ways to have this rest time and it may be different each time depending on your needs. I encourage you to set aside your needed Sabbath-rest period. It may be on the day you worship at church, but you need to set aside a given personal time weekly to truly be with your Savior. Please challenge yourself in learning more about Sabbath-rest. (I don't mean daily quiet times, I am talking about TRUE Sabbath-rest)

When we are fully rested in Jesus, we will have that renewal that only He can give.